Altered Paths
by Tumaila
Summary: continuation of A hard fall from Grace


The moment that she and Haldir entered the talon of Celeborn and Galadriel, Adrianna knew that her destiny was no longer her own. The sinking feeling continued as she watched them emerge from the muted light of the room. A fellow Ranger had asked her once to describe them and the only thing she could say was, grace, beauty and power. Now, however, those descriptions seem completely inaccurate. They were more and less at the same time. Slowly, she sunk to one knee and bowed her head as she touched her hand to her heart.  
"Your journey home has been along one, Adrianna." Galadriel said as she touched her shoulder. "But one that was necessary."  
"I bring word from Lord Elrond." She said as she stood up. "Mithrandir and the others will be passing through your woods within a few days. He asks that you grant them whatever comforts you can."  
Galadriel nodded her head. "It will be so. You have also had a hard journey, Adrianna. Will you not take your rest with in the woods of your home?"  
"Nay, my Lady." She replied. "I fear that my task is not yet complete. I must continue on to Minas Tirith to meet with the Rangers there. Lord Aragorn will have need of the Grey Company before this is over."  
"Your path ends here." Galadriel said. "You stood these borders once as a Warden and I call upon you to do so again. Haldir will see you to your talon."  
"My orders.." Adrianna said in protest, but stopped. Galadriel's orders were not to be ignored.  
"Haldir," The Lady said without glancing at him. "Please leave us."  
Bowing deeply, the March Warden turned and left them. Waiting until she was certain that he had gone, Galadriel once more faced Adrianna. "You have a far greater mission than you are even aware of. In a few months time, I will need you as will Lothlorien and Haldir."  
"How?" The young she-elf asked. "I do not understand, how can Haldir need me?"  
"I can not explain that right now." She replied. "But I can tell you that if you do not stay, Haldir will die."  
  
Her life had fallen into a routine in the months following the departure of the Fellowship. She had wanted to follow Aragorn to Amon Hen and would have if it had not been for the Lady's warning. Somewhere deep inside, she knew that she would have staid. The years she had been gone had only served to deepen her connection to this place.  
"Are you ready yet?" Haldir asked from the other side of the closed door. "By the Valar woman, must you take forever?"  
Adrianna sighed as she slipped her dark green tunic on over her black shirt. Warden or not, she was still a Ranger and would continue to dress as one. Snatching up her bow and quiver, she strode to the door and opened it. "I did not take forever."  
"Close enough." Haldir replied as they descended the stairs. "Rumil and Orophin have already gone out on patrol. We will join them on the Northern boarder the Orc raids have increased since the Rings departure."  
"I know." She answered as she slipped her quiver over her shoulder and fastened its straps. "I can still feel the evil of the Ring even now."  
"It is hard to believe that such evil is in the care of one so young." Haldir said as they made their way through the city.  
"Frodo is hardly young, mellon nin." Adrianna said as she shook her head. "He is quite capable of completing his task."  
"And I suppose that you think that Legolas is also 'quite capable'?" He asked as he glanced over at her. "He did spend a good deal of his time in your company when he was here."  
He had said it in such away that for a moment, Adrianna couldn't tell if he was joking or not. Finally, she threw her head back and laughed. "Only you would see it as such. Legolas is my cousin, Haldir and that is why we spent so much time together. He was helping me sort out a rather distressing matter."  
"Oh?" He asked. "And what matter is that?"  
Adrianna chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip as she brushed a strand of silver blonde hair out of her eyes. There was simply no way she was going to tell him that she and Legolas had spent most of their time talking about him. "It was nothing of importance."  
"Haldir, Adrianna." A guard called as he made his way toward them. "The Lord and Lady wish to speak with you."  
"Very well," Haldir said. "Thank you, Talquen."  
"What do you suppose she wants from us?" She asked as they walked toward the Lord and Lady's talon.  
"I suspect that we shall soon find out." Haldir said as his hand came to rest on the small of her back. "We must hurry."  
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Adrianna delighted at his touch but it was quickly dismissed. She had too many other things to think about, namely, why they had been summoned.  
  
Chapter four:  
  
They had been walking for hours, though to Adrianna it felt like days. The Lady Galadriel's statement still rung in her ears as she stared into the bleak darkness around her. In a matter of moments, her life had once more taken an unexpected turn. She had gone from not wanting to leave Lorien to demanding that she go with them. After their meeting with the Lord and Lady, Haldir had tried to talk her out of going, but she had insisted and eventually won. Adrianna sighed to herself, she wished she could explain everything to Haldir, but she didn't know how. How did you tell someone that you cared for that they where going to die? No! She thought as she shook her head. I won't allow it to happen.  
"Adrianna," Haldir called as he glanced over to where she was. "A moment please."  
Almost reluctantly, she turned and walked over to where he and his brother's were. "You wished to speak with me?"  
"We are less than an hour from Helm's Deep." He replied. "You and I shall go ahead to the Deep and inform Lord Aragorn and King Théoden of our presence. We don't need them shooting at us."  
A slight smirk crossed her lips as she folded her arms over her chest. "I highly doubt that they would waste their arrows on me, but you? It's a good possibility."  
"In that case, I insist that you take the lead." Haldir replied as he gestured at the road in front of them.  
"Beauty before age?" She asked surprised by how easy it was to fall into their old routine.  
"I don't think I'll answer that." He said. "Not yet anyway."  
"We are going to have to talk sooner or later, you know." Adrianna said after they had left the others behind. "We can't keep going on like this."  
"I know." He answered. "I had hoped that we could have had this discussion in Lorien and not when we are faced with the prospect of our deaths."  
His words sent a chill up her spine. "That is not going to happen. I won't let it."  
"I love you deeply Adrianna, but not even you can prevent death." He replied. "We both knew that there was a chance that we could die when we became warden's and that will not change now."  
"I won't let anything happen to you. Not now that I have finally found where I belong." She said in an effort hide her shock over what he had said. She had always known how she had felt about him, but to learn that he felt the same was a delight as well as a little unnerving.  
"You've always belonged; you just didn't let yourself see it." He said. "Come the night is wearing on and I wish to speak with Aragorn."  
They picked up their pace and were soon with in the stone walls of Helm's Deep. 


End file.
